The present invention relates to computer networking, and more specifically, to techniques for transmitting commands to downstream ports within a distributed switch module.
Computer systems often use multiple computers that are coupled together in a common chassis. The computers may be separate servers that are coupled by a common backbone within the chassis. Each server may be a pluggable board that includes at least one processor, an on-board memory, and an Input/Output (I/O) interface. Further, the servers may be connected to a switch to expand the capabilities of the servers. For example, the switch may permit the servers to access additional Ethernet networks or PCIe slots, as well as permit communication between servers in the same or different chassis.
Additionally, the switch itself may be a distributed system. For example, the distributed switch may include a plurality of switch modules and one or more control modules. Generally, the switch modules may each include a respective set of ports and could be configured to act as independent sub-switches. The control module(s) could provide control plane logic for the plurality of switch modules, and the control module(s) may be shared by the plurality of switch modules. One advantage to such a distributed switch is that distributed systems can oftentimes grow larger than conventional systems at less cost. Additionally, distributed systems are frequently more modular then conventional systems, allowing faulty, individual components to be isolated and replaced in a more efficient and inexpensive fashion.